Policy & Governance

Latest Trump ‘skinny budget’ draws a warning from AASA

On Friday, the Trump Administration released additional budget materials for the Fiscal Year 2026, which potentially blocks more than $6 billion for crucial K12 programs.

ESSER withdrawals force mass layoffs in schools

As predicted by one K12 finance expert, school districts are laying off hundreds of staff members to account for the end of ESSER funding.

Judge blocks Trump from shutting down Department of Education

Federal judge's injunction requires reinstatement of fired employees, citing "irreparable harm" and financial uncertainty.

3 ways the Education Department will prioritize discretionary grants

Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Tuesday announced she will prioritize three issues: evidence-based literacy, expanding school choice and returning education to the states.

Linda McMahon: Shutting down the Department won’t end K12 education

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to education, but it's handled best when power is given closest to the states, said U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

House Republicans want $5 billion for private school vouchers

It's part of an ongoing effort by President Donald Trump to expand school choice opportunities and give families more control over where and how their children are taught.

Federal education policy update: How to prepare for FY27

Strategic oversight, public narrative and workforce relevance are the new cornerstones of federal education policy.

States must now define and label ‘persistently dangerous’ schools

The Department of Education wants state leaders to define what makes a school "persistently dangerous," enforcing a law that has long been underused by schools and their families to expand school choice options for parents.

How Trump’s ‘skinny budget’ impacts K12 funding

The proposed budget creates a new K12 Simplified Funding Program that consolidates 18 competitive and formula grant programs into a new formula grant.

Schools suddenly lose $1 billion for mental health care

DEI appears to be the reason the Trump administration is slashing $1 billion in school mental health grants created after the Uvalde mass shooting, according to multiple reports.

What will happen to districts that defy Trump’s DEI order?

A growing number of states say they are removing DEI from their schools even as some leaders refuse to comply.

New Education Department appointees show where agency is headed

The picks for key Department of Education roles reveal the agency's K12 priorities even as the Trump administration works to close it down.

States sue to bring back ESSER spending extensions

On Thursday, a lawsuit was filed in New York suggesting that K12 schools were stripped of their previously promised pandemic relief funds "with no advance notice or warning." 

Maine at risk of losing its federal K12 funding

U.S. Department of Education is on the verge of defunding Maine's schools over what the agency says are Title IX violations involving transgender athletes.

Feds launch new team to investigate transgender athletes

Launch of the "Title IX Special Investigations Team" comes one day after the Trump administration threatened to withhold Title I funding over DEI programs.

Schools must now prove anti-discrimination compliance to preserve funding

As of this week, K12 school districts must certify their adherence to Title VI or risk a loss of federal assistance, according to the Department of Education.

New Dear Colleague Letter warns districts on parents rights

The directive comes as the Department of Education launches investigations into state laws that prohibit school personnel from disclosing a child’s gender identity to parents.

Plans to close Education Department face a new challenge

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren is rallying Congressional leaders to investigate the Trump Administration's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. 

Department of Education lawsuits: 2 coalitions challenge Trump’s plans

Two coalitions of K12 and higher ed advocates filed separate lawsuits this week, hoping to derail President Donald Trump's executive order to close the Department of Education.

This is how the Education Department will close

Secretary Linda McMahon said funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will likely be moved to the Department of Health of Human Services.

Trump orders elimination of Department of Education; shifts ‘core functions’

Title I, services for students with disabilities, Pell Grants and other programs will be "preserved in full" to be administered by other agencies, the president said Thursday.

21 states challenge mass layoffs at Department of Education

Coalition of Democratic attorneys general warn in a new lawsuit that the Trump Administration's plan to close the Department of Education is 'reckless and illegal.'

Here are the latest changes to this loan forgiveness program

President Donald Trump issued an executive order that limits which nonprofit organizations qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness based on whether they participate in "illegal" or "harmful" activities.

Here’s what K12 can expect from its new education secretary

Linda McMahon's confirmation is a "last chance" effort to restore American values that made education great. Here's how she plans to do it.

This is what the latest K12 book bans block out

K12 book bans cut across grades and genres and frequently target a handful of specific topics, according to the latest PEN America analysis.

Teachers mount a challenge with DEI deadline looming

The American Federation of Teachers has sued the Trump administration over its efforts to drive diversity, equity and inclusion programs out of schools.

Satisfaction with public education takes big fall in annual poll

But K12 leaders might take (a little) solace that they're not alone—Americans' overall satisfaction levels have hit a record low. 

Here are 4 big ways McMahon sees Education Department changing

Linda McMahon, President Trump's pick for the Department of Education, hinted at several ways she plans to lead the agency during her confirmation hearing last week.

Don’t worry, most funding won’t vanish with education department

District leaders shouldn't worry about big cuts to school funding, experts say. Here's what you should expect instead.

More districts detail how to deal with immigration enforcement

Many districts leaders are recommitting to providing safe spaces for students in the wake of the Trump administration's decision to allow law enforcement to search for undocumented students or staff in school buildings.

Navigating new school choice: Federal directives and state expansions

Even the best-laid plans for school choice can’t compete with strong and supportive relationships between your team and families. So, stay flexible and stay informed.

Reports: Trump now ready to dismantle Department of Education

Multiple reports warn that President Donald Trump is preparing an executive order to impose severe cutbacks on the U.S. Department of Education and eventually shut the agency down.

Trump moves to expand school choice, root out ‘indoctrination’

In a pair of executive orders, President Donald Trump launched an effort to reshape K12 education.

Book bans: New Department of Ed is axing complaints

Amidst a record-breaking surge in bans, the Trump administration's Office of Civil Rights calls the complaints a "hoax"

Office of Civil Rights was very busy under Biden

The Department of Education received a record number of civil rights complaints three years in a row under former president Joe Biden's administration.